Electric lanterns



May 9, 1961 H. J. ASHE ELECTRIC LANTERNS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 2, 1959 'I9J'INVQNTOR. BY X/ W 45L May 9, 1961 H. J. ASHE ELECTRIC LANTERNS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 2, 1959 IiVgglTOR.

BY Jfl L States Patent Ofifice ELECTRIC LANTERNS Herbert J. Ashe, Stamford, Conn. (P.0. Box 307, Glenbrook, Conn.)

Filed Mar. 2, 1959, Ser. No. 796,342

9 Claims. (Cl. 240-1066) The present invention relates generally to improvements in electric lanterns and it relates more particularly to an improved electric flashlight provided with both continuous and blinker lamps which are independently operable.

In order to employ the conventional flashlight as a Warning signal and to attract attention it is desirable to either wave or blink the light. This is usually not convenient and often not possible.

It is therefore a principal object of the present invention to provide an improved electric lantern, flashlight or the like.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved electric flashlight provided with both continuous and blinker lamps which are independently operable.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an improved dual purpose flashlight which is simple to load in a conventional fashion.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved flashlight having independently operable heads at opposite ends thereof, the rear head being readily removable for the loading of batteries into the flashlight in the conventional manner.

Still a further object of the present invention is to provide an improved contact assembly which permits the conversion of the conventional flashlight into a dual headed flashlight with a minimum of modification and without interfering with the normal operation and load ing procedure of the flashlight.

The above and other objects of the present invention will become apparent from a reading of the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is an exploded transverse sectional and fragmentary view of a flashlight embodying the present invention;

Figure 2 is a front fragmented elevational View of the improved flashlight;

Figure 3 is a transverse vertical sectional view of the improved contact assembly;

Figure 4 is a top perspective view of the contact assembly insulator core member; and

Figure 5 is a diagrammatic schematic view of the flashlight circuit.

In a sense, the present invention contemplates the provision of an improved flashlight head including an improved contact assembly and associated switch member and cap, which permits its application to a slightly modified conventional flashlight barrel without interfering with the operation of the flashlights other head and which permits the conventional rear loading of the flashlight and the desirable consequence thereof. The flashlight comprises a battery holding tubular barrel, a lamp head located at opposite ends of said barrel, at least one of said heads being separable from said barrel to afford access to the interior thereof, an electric lamp socket member located in each of said heads and means including independently operable switches connecting each of said lamp sockets across said battery. In a further sense the present invention contemplates a flashlight comprising a tubular barrel and a contact assembly removably nested in an end of the barrel and including insulated first, second and third contact elements, the second and third contact elements defining a bulb socket, the third electrode being connected to one of the battery terminals and the first electrode to the other battery terminal, and switch means carried by the barrel and separably connected to the third terminal and selectively movable into and out of engagement with the second contact element.

Referring now to the drawing which illustrates a preferred embodiment of the present invention the numeral 10 generally designates the barrel or casing portion thereof, 12 the flashlight head and 14 the blinker head. The barrel 10 is of tubular metal construction adapted to accommodate one or more battery cells in stacked end to end arrangement. The barrel 10 has an externally threaded upper end and has mounted on its bottom face a socket member 18 releasably carrying a bulb 19. A plurality of selectively slidable coaxial colored filter sleeves 20 may be associated with the bulb carrying socket 18 and are individually movable by slidable buttons 22 on barrel 10 and connected to the sleeves 20 in the usual fashion. No claim is made to such mechanism. A switch mechanism 25 including a slide element 24 and a push button 26 is associated with the socket as will be hereinafter set forth.

Below the upper end ofthe barrel 10 there is formed a longitudinally extending slot with which slidably registers prongs 28 of a switch finger piece 29 located in the outer surface of the barrel and covering the slot 27. The prongs 28 tightly engage a longitudinally extending metal strap 30 which slidably abuts the barrel inner face and is movable with the finger piece 29. The strap 30 terminates at its upper end in an inwardly directed contact defining detent 32 which is vertically movable by way of the strap 30 between upper and lower closed and open positions. A second longitudinal metal strap 33 extends for the length of the barrel 10 and is suitably affixed to the inner face thereof and insulated therefrom by an underlying strip 34 of insulating material. The upper end of the strap 33 terminates below the upper edge of the barrel 10 in an inwardly directed contact defining detent 36 and the under end of the strap 33 is provided with an inwardly directed arm (not shown), abutting the bottom end face of the barrel 10 and adapted to engage the battery cell positive center contact in the conventional manner.

The blinker head 14 comprises a cap member 37, a commutator or contact assembly 38 and a conventional type electric blinker bulb 39. Bulb 39 may include a conventional thermostatic arm which causes it to blink. The cap member 37 includes a lens defining dome 40 and a depending internally threaded peripheral skirt 41 adapted to engage the barrel threaded upper end 16. The cap 37 is integrally formed of a transparent preferably colored material, such as a synthetic organic thermoplastic material, for example polystyrene, and the inner surface of the dome 40 has a Fresnel lens type contour. The bottom inner face of the dome 40 terminates in an outwardly directed peripheral shoulder 42 extending to the inner face of the skirt 41.

The contact assembly 38 includes an insulator core member support 43 formed preferably of an organic plastic material and including an annulus 44 provided with a depending peripheral skirt 46. The upper inner edge of the annulus 44 is stepped as at 47 and a pair of diametrically opposed vertical apertures 48 are located in the annulus 44. Diametrically opposed pairs of aligned upright and depending mounting post 49 re- Patented May 9, 1961 spectively are formed integrally with the annulus 44 and are arranged in quadrature with the apertures 48.

Superimposed upon the insulator support 43 is a contact defining bulb base engaging metal annulus 51 having apertures 52 registering with the posts 4 9 and oversized holes in alignment with the support apertures 48. The inner edge of the annulus 51 is helically shaped so as to releasably engage the threaded base of the blinker bulb 39. An outwardly inclined lip 53 depends from the periphery of the annulus 51 and slightly overhangs the upper outer edge of the support core 43. An insulator washer 56 overlies the annulus 51 and has holes engaging the posts 49* and in alignment with the support apertures 48. A second contact defining metal member 57 includes an annular portion 58 superimposed upon the washer 56 and having holes formed therethrough engaging the posts 9 and in alignment with the core'apertures 48.

An upstanding cylindrical wall 59 is formed along the periphery of the annulus 58 and is provided with an outwardly directed peripheral flange 66 having a skirt 61 depending therefrom to a point above the level of the annulus 58 and terminating in an outwardly directed annular shelf 63. The inner and outer diameters of the shelf 63 are slightly less than the corresponding dimensions of the cap shoulder 42. The upper ends of the posts 49 are upset as at 64 to effect the securement of the members -1, 56 and 57 to the core support 43.

Underlying the core support 43 is a contact defining metal member 65 which includes an upper annulus 66 abutting the under-face of the annulus 44 and provided with openings registering with the bottom posts 50 and enlarged openings in alignment with the core apertures 48. The annulus 66 is provided with a depending axial well portion 67 having a central recess 68. Depending from the outer periphery of the annulus 66 is a skirt 69 terminating at its lower end in an outwardly directed flange 70 which underlies the lower edge of the core skirt 69 and projecting slightly beyond the outer face thereof.

Nesting in the bottom of the contact member 65 and electrically separated therefrom by properly shaped insulator element 71 is another contact defining metal member 72 which likewise includes an annulus 73 having openings registering with the posts 50* and openings in alignment with the core apertures 48. The annulus 73 is provided with a well portion 74 which registers with the well portion 67. Depending from the outer peripheral edge of the annulus 73 is an S-shaped skirt 76 having an upper inwardly facing groove 77 and terminating at its lower free end at a point spaced inwardly from the outer edge of the contact member flange 70.

The free ends of the posts 50 are upset as at 78 to complete the assembly of the contact members, insulator elements and core. In order to reinforce the contact assembly and effect an electrical connection between the upper and lower contact members 57 and 72 a pair of metal rivets 79 have their shanks registering with the aligned openings in the contact and insulator members and the core apertures, 48, the heads 80 of the rivets 79' abutting the underface of the contact member 72 and the uppers thereof being upset to tightly engage the upper face of the contact member 57. It should be noted that in the completed contact assembly 38, the well 67 of the contact member 65 and the helical inner edge of the contact member 51 define a lamp socket, the helical edge releasably engaging the screw base of the blinker lamp 39 and the bottom of the well 68 separably engaging the conventional center contact of the lamp base. A helical compression contact spring 8 1 depends from the underface of the contact member 72 and is affixed thereto by the upper convolution of the spring 81 registering with the groove 77. The spring convolutions become downwardly of successively smaller diameter.

63 resting on the upper edge of the barrel 10 and in electrical contact therewith. The cap member is screwed into the upper end of the barrel 10, the inner shoulder 42 thereof abutting the upper face of the flange 63 to releasably lock the contact assembly 38' in barrel inserted position, the lamp 39 being located at the center of the dome 40. When the contact assembly is in locked inserted position the conductor strap detent 36 engages the flange 70 of contact member 65 thereby electrically connecting the contact member 65 to the battery positive terminal by way of the strap 33. Furthermore, the switch member contact detent 32 engages the flange 53- to electrically connect the contact member 51 to the barrel 10 when the switch slide 29 and strap 30 are in their raised closed position. By lowering the switch slide 29 and strap 30 to its lower open position the detent 32 is removed from engagement with the contact member 51 and into engagement with the insulator skirt 46 to isolate the contact'member 51 from the barrel 10. The negative or casing terminal of the battery in the barrel 10 is electrically connected thereto by way of the spring 81 which engages the battery negative terminal, lower contact member 72., rivets 79 and upper contact member 57.

As readily seen in Figure 5 of the drawing the barrel 10 is connected by way of the contact member 57, rivets 7?, contact member 72 and spring 8 1 to the case terminal of the battery B. The negative terminal of the battery B is connected to the center terminal of the ordinary electric bulb 19 and by way of the conductor strap 33 to the contact member 51 which engages the screw base of the blinker lamp 39*. The contact member 65 which engages the center terminal of the lamp 339 is selectively separably connected to the barrel 10 by the sliding strap. The screw base of the lamp 19 is selectively connected to the barrel 10 by the conventional switch mechanism 25. Thus the blinker lamp 39 can be selectively energized or de-energized independently of the lamp 19 by closing or opening the switch member strap 34) to eifect the connecting and disconnecting the lamp 39 across the battery terminals. The lamp 19 may likewise be independently energized or de-energized by manipulating the switch mechanism 25. It should be noted that the batteries maybe simply replaced by separating the cap 37 and contact assembly 38 from the barrel 10 thereby affording access into the interior of the barrel. Thus the mechanism described permits rear loading of the batteries which is highly desirable for a number of reasons. For example,

The contact assembly 38 removably nests in the upper the public is conditioned to such loading; the rear construction is simplified and not subject to injury by inserting batteries such as might be the case were contacts to be protruding across the rear; if batteries become corroded and should they swell, they can more easily be removed from the rear and are less likely to damage the case. 7

While there has been described and illustrated preferred embodiments of the present invention, it is apparent that numerous alterations, omissions and additions may be made without departing from the spirit thereof.

What is claimed is: v 1. An electric lantern of the character described comprising a battery holding tubular'barrel, a unitary contact assembly located in a relatively fixed position adjacent an open end of said barrel and separable from said barrel to afford free access into the interior thereof and including mutually insulated first, second and third contact elements, a manually operable switch member carried by said barrel and selectively movable into and out of engagement with said second contact element, a lamp socket carried by said contact assembly and including first and second terminals said first socket terminal being connected to said second contact element and said second socket terminal being connected to said third contact element, means separably connecting said third contact to one terminal of said battery, and means separably connecting said first contact element directly between said switch member and the other terminal of said battery.

2. An electric lantern of the character described comprising a battery holding tubular metallic barrel, a unitary contact assembly removably located in a relatively fixed position adjacent an open end of said barrel and separable from said barrel to afford free access into the interior thereof and including mutually insulated first, second and third contact elements, said first contact element separably engaging and interconnecting said barrel and one terminal of said battery, a switch member mounted on and in contact with the inner face of said barrel and selectively movable into and out of engagement with said second contact element, an electric lamp socket carried by said contact assembly, means connecting one terminal of said socket to said second contact element and the other terminal of said socket to said third contact element, and means separably connecting said third contact element to the other terminal of said battery.

3. An improved electric lantern of the character described comprising a battery holding tubular barrel, a unitary contact assembly removably located in a relatively fixed position adjacent one end of said barrel and separable from said barrel to afford free access into the interior thereof and including first, second, and third stacked coaxially arranged contact elements of substantially circular configuration and insulating separators between said contact elements, said first contact element being uppermost and having a peripheral border resting on the upper edge of said barrel, a socket member carried by said contact assembly and connected between said second and third contact elements, means separably connecting said third contact element to one of said battery terminals, a switching member electrically connected to said first contact member and selectively movable into and out of engagement with said second contact element, and means connecting said first contact element directly to the other terminal of said battery.

4. An improved electric lantern in accordance with claim 3 wherein said means connecting said first contact element to the other terminal of said battery includes a further contact element mounted lowermost on said contact assembly and electrically connected to said first contact element, and a helical compression spring depending from and connected to said fourth contact element.

5. An improved electric lantern in accordance with claim 3 wherein said second contact element is of annular configuration having an inwardly directed helically disposed edge and said third contact element is provided with an axially located well to define said socket memher.

6. An improved electric lantern of the character described comprising a battery holding tubular metal barrel, a unitary contact assembly removably located in a relatively fixed position adjacent an open end of said barrel and separable from said barrel to afford free access into the interior thereof and including first, second and third stacked coaxially arranged contact elements and insulating separators between said contact elements, said first contact element being uppermost and of annular configuration and having a border resting on the upper edge of said metal barrel, said second contact element underlying said first contact element and being of annular configuration with an inwardly directed bulb screw base helical edge, said third contact element having a circular periphery and a centrally located bulb terminal engaging portion, means separably connecting said first contact element to one terminal of said battery whereby to connect said battery terminal to said barrel through said first contact element, means separably connecting said third contact element to the other terminal of said battery and a switch member connected to said barrel and selectively movable into and out of engagement with said second contact element.

7. An improved electric lantern in accordance with claim 6 wherein said contact assembly includes a fourth contact element underlying and insulated from said third contact element and connected to said first contact element and including a compression spring depending from and connected to said fourth contact element to define said means connecting said first contact element to said battery terminal.

8. An improved electric lantern in accordance with claim 6 wherein said switch member includes a resilient metal strap contacting and longitudinally slidable along the inner face of said barrel and having an upper detent adapted to engage said second contact element.

9. An improved electric lantern in accordance with claim 6 and including a transparent cap member sep arably mounted in the upper end of said barrel and having an inner shoulder bearing upon the peripheral border of said first contact element to releasably lock said contact assembly to said barrel.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,124,153 Scholtes July 19, 1938 2,181,447 Ayotte et al Nov. 28, 1939 2,194,992 Walsh Mar. 26, 1940 2,249,691 Gelardin July 15, 1941 2,742,607 Ryan Apr. 17, 1956 2,915,621 Garland Dec. 1, 1959 

